Hair curler



Jan. 20, 1942. A. G. BOWYER 2,270,618

HAIR CURLER Filed April 8, 1940 11V VEN TOR A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 20, 1942 mam (manna Abbie G. Bowyer, Los Angeles, Calif assignor of one-fourth to Samuel E. Fonts, Los Angeles.

Calif.

pplication April 8, 1940, SerialNo. 328,497

13 Claims. ,(iCl. 132-40) This invention relates to hair curlers and is an improvement of the curler that is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,144,714 of January 24. 1939. In that form of curler, the tress of hair is drawn in toward the scalp and the entire tress is curled excepta short length near the hair roots. The hair is densely compacted within the curler being wound about the central axis or post. The tress is dried while it is within the curler, the curler is then removed and the resulting curl is a perfect ringlet. In the demonstration of the curler to highly expert hairdressers, it was contended that some women insist on leavin their tresses uncurled except at and near their outer ends. In attempting to dress the hair in that fashion, it was. found that an insufflcient amount of hair was drawn into the curler to compress it tightly enough to retain the ringlet. In other words, the ringlet would not last. Further, it was found that the weight of the curler and the drier which is used with it is oftentimes enough to pull the tached rotatably thereto by a locking slide IS. The members l and H are each provided with a peripheral flange H and I5, respectively, which abut at their edges to form an annular space I6 within the curler and about the post. It. The

curler, assembled as shown, is applied to the tress near the hair roots by moving it edsewise toward the tress until the latter enters a notch I! in the member ID. The tress then extends across the space l6 and out through a slot, not shown, in the member II. By turning the member II on the post, the tress is drawn into the space I6 curler from the loose curl within it. One of the objects of my present invention is better to adapt the curler of my said patent for use upon the tip ends only of the-tresses. Another contention of some of the said experts was that many women who are accustomed to having their hair curled from the outer end inwardly toward the scalp would object to having their hair curled in the opposite direction. A further object of my invention, therefore, is to adapt my patented curler for winding the hair from the outer ends of the tresses.

The structure shown in the accompanying drawin embodies what I now regard as the preferred form of my invention. It is apparent, however, that details may be modified somewhat, and I desire it to be understood that the invention is not restricted to details of my construction any farther than is necessitated by the specific terms employed in the claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a section taken through the curler on line i-l of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section through the curler on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the reducing washer removed and the winding spool in place; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig, 3; Fig. 5 is a section of one end of the winding spool. and Fig. 6 is an edge elevation, on a smaller scale, of the spool with the winding key applied thereto.

The curler itself which'is shown generally in the drawing, comprises the two relatively rotatable members IO and ll. The member -H is provided with a central post I! which extends from its base through the member II which is atand is wound around and around upon itself and the post until the ..tress is densely compacted within the curler. The tress is first moistened and, after curling, is dried. Both of the members are provided with apertures ill to facilitate drying. All of these structural features and op eration are fully disclosed in my said patent and require no further description here. There is but one change that needs to be noted. That is the post 82. Whereas in the patent it is shown as round or cylindrical, in the present structure it is non-cylindrical; being shown as a dodecagon in cross section. The reason for this change will curler and assuring that the small amount of hair that is wound into the curler will be densely compressed, will retain its curl and will not become disengaged from the hair until the curler is opened to release it. This space-reducing means 40 consists of a washer I9 which is mounted upon the post l2 within the space IS. The washer has a thickness which is substantially equal to the width of the space so that all the hair will be wound upon the washer and will not wedge itself between the washer and the member In or II. The diameter of the washer may be varied to cause it to take up any desired amount of the space I6. As shown, it reduces the space to approximately one-half its original volume. Preferably, the outer and rounded surface of the washer is knurled, as indicated at the right of the post in Fig. 2, although this knurllng is not necessary. If it be knurled, however, the hair is less apt to disengage itself and pull out of the 5 8 curler. The aperture through the washer has a curled. In the latter operation, the tress will be wound directly upon the post l2 and it is for that reason that the circumierential contour of the post approaches the perfect cylinder as nearly as is practicable. That is to say, the angles on the surface of the post are very obtuse. If they were acute the curl would take the same form and would not be a perfect ringlet as is desired.

That feature of my invention which adapts the curler for winding the tress from its outer end is shown in Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive. In these illustrations the several parts of the curler which 20 have been referred to are designated by the same reference numerals. Instead of drawing the tress into the curler, it is curled by winding it upon a spool which has a barrel or body part 20 and heads 2| and 22. light as practicable. Its dimensions are such as make it fit within the curler, as shown in Fig. 4. The heads are both provided with apertures 23 which aline with the apertures I. in the members l and il when the spool is within the curler. A plurality of the apertures 23 in the head 2| are elongated into slots 24 which extend to the edge of the head 2|. This is for a purpose presently to be explained.

The barrel or body of the spool is preferably 88 knurled, as indicated at Fig. 6, to keep the tress from slipping. The barrel has an axialopening 25 which is non-circular in transverse section to fit about the non-circular post I2. 26 is a key or tool which has an end reduced in size and is.moistened and combed until all tangles are '45,

taken out of it. Then the spool is mounted on the key, as in Fig. 6, the key is held in one hand and, with the other hand, the outer end of the tress is laid upon the knurled barrel 20. The key and spool are then turned and the tress is wound 80' upon the spool, suflicient pull being exerted on the tress to cause it to wind upon the barrel in a densely packed ringlet. This winding is continued until all or substantially all of the tress is taken up. Then, the operator, while holding the tress taut, applies the'inner member ID of the curler to the tress by causing the latter to enter the slot II. This brings the upper end of the post l2 into position to enter the axial opening 25 of the spool. The spool is then slipped over the post, the tress passing from the spool through one of the notches 24 in the spool head 2|, through notch II in member ID and to the .scalp. The said notches 24 and II are thus brought into register and are so held by reason of The spool is of metal and as against the scalp and the head 2| is almost in I contact with said member, it is necessary that the notches II and 24 be in registerand close together, asin Fig. 4. Now the tresses vary in length. some may when fully wound and turned outwardly through a notch 24 be in position to pass at once through the notch II in the member l0. It is more probable, however, that the notches l1 and 24 will not exactly register. In that case, the spool will have to be'turned farther or slackened. Since the tress is already taut it would be difllcult and even painful to the customer to have it tightened still further. On the other hand, if but one notch 24 were provided it might. be necessary to turn the spool backwardly almost acomplete turn to get the notches Hand 24 to register and that would loosen the curl undesirably. By providing a plurality of notches 24, the spool need be turned through a small angle only to cause the notches I1 and 24 to register.

As shown in Fig. 5, three equidistantly spaced notches are provided although others may be added if desired.

In the above description I have assumed that the tress is wound for substantially its full length on the spool. It is obvious, however, that only part of the tress may be so wound, for from its extreme buter end the tress is densely compacted on the spool, the winding may cease at any desired point and the tress held taut by applying the curler members i0 and II. In this way an eil'ect is secured which is similar to that obtained by the use of the reducing washer [9, as has been described. In one case, however, the outer ends of the tresses will be curled toward the scalp while in the other case they would be curled in the opposite direction.

To create a permanent wave by the above. disclosed method and apparatus, the tress is first thoroughly wetted with a solution which is commonly used for that purpose, and the hair is actually stretched as it is wound upon the spool. It will be seen, therefore, that;the device described is adapted for use inpermanent waving. It is understood, of course, that in making a permanentwave, the hair must be steamed and dried in the curler. Sincethe heater forms no part of the present invention, it has not been disclosed herein.

I claim:

1. A hair curler which comprises a pair of coaxial and relatively rotatable members, a post attached to one of said members and forming an axis upon which the other member may be rotated, said members being so shaped on their adjacent sides as to provide a space between them and about said post, and a cylindrical element surrounding the post within said space.

upon which a moistened tress may be wound under tension and dried to form a ringlet.

2. A hair curler which comprises a pair of coaxial and relatively rotatable members, a post attached to one of said members and forming an axis upon which the other member may be rotated, said members being so shaped on their adjacent sides as to provide 'a space between them and about the post, said post being in cross section not round but having exterior obtuse angles, and a cylindrical element surrounding the post within the said space upon which a moistened tress may be wound under tension and dried to form a ringlet.

I 3. A hair curler which comprises a pair of coaxial and relatively rotatable members, a post attached to one of said members and forming an axis upon which the other member may be rotated, said members being so shaped on their adjacent sides as to provide a space between them and about the post, and a cylindrical element surrounding the post within said space, such element comprising a washer adapted to occupy a substantial part of the said space and to receive a moistened tress which may be wound thereupon under tension and dried to form a ringlet.

4. A device as set forth'in claim 3, in which the said washer has its outer and rounded surface knurled, for the purpose specified.

5. A device as set forth in claim 3, in which the said post is in cross section not round but having exterior obtuse angles, and the said washer has a central aperture slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the post.

6. A device as set forth in claim 3, in which the said post is in cross section not round but having exterior obtuse angles, the said washer having a central-aperture slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the post, and having also its outer and rounded surface roughened.

7. A hair curler which comprises a pair of coaxial and relatively rotatable members, a post attached to one of said members and forming an axis'upon which the other member may be retated, said members being so shaped on their adjacent sides as to provide a space between them and about the post, and a cylindrical element surrounding the post within said space, such element comprising a spool, the heads of which extend substantially to the inner periphery of the said space, the spool being adapted to receive a moistened tress of hair which may be wound upon and within the spool under tension and dried to form a ringlet.

8. A device as set forth in claim '7 in which the post in cross section is not round but has exterior obtuse angles, and the spool has a central aperture of the same shape so that the spool may be held in relative non-rotatable connection by the post.

9. A device as set forth in claim '7 in which the outer surface of the barrel -of the spool is roughened, for the purpose specified.

10. A hair curler which comprises a pair of coaxial and relatively rotatable members, a post attached to one of said members and forming an axis upon which the other member may be retated, said members being so shaped on their adjacent sides as to provide a space between them and about the post, locking means associated with the post whereby the said members are secured together, each of said members being provided with a slot extending inwardly from their perimeters, and a cylindrical element surrounding the post within said space and adapted to receive a moistened tress of hair which may be wound under tension, upon the cylindrical element, the said element comprising a spool the heads of which extend substantially to the inner periphery of the said space when the spool is placed over the said post, one of the said heads of the spool being provided with a plurality of slots extending inwardly from its periphery, any of the said slots being adapted to be brought into alignment with the slots of the said rotatable members.

11. A device asset forth in claim 10 in which the outer surface of the barrel of the spool is roughened.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10 in which the post in cross section is not round but has exterior obtuse angles, and the spool has a central aperture of similar shape so that the spool may be held in relative non-rotatable connection on the post.

13. A device as set forth in claim 10 in combination with means for rotating the spool while the tress of hair is being wound thereupon.

ABBIE G. BOWYER. 

